Rat research proves a Prime Minister’s winner

A University of Auckland researcher who is
internationally recognised for his conservation work has won
the 2012 Prime Minister’s MacDiarmid Emerging Scientist
Prize.

Dr James Russell’s innovative combination of
ecology, statistics and genetics to prevent rats and other
mammalian pests invading predator-free islands is helping to
keep endangered species safe and strengthening New
Zealand’s reputation as a world leader in island
conservation.

The prize is worth $200,000 and rewards the
33-year-old for his unique DNA fingerprinting of rats,
sophisticated statistical modelling and application of
scientific tools to solve conservation problems.

James’s knowledge is sought after internationally, with
overseas organisations asking him to help eradicate rats and
manage other pests. His work inspired New Zealand author
Witi Ihimaera’s children’s story on the Amazing
Adventures of Razza the Rat.

Rats have invaded more
than 80 percent of the world’s island groups and are
blamed – along with other mammalian predators - for
killing 26 million native birds in New Zealand forests every
year. James says rats are difficult to catch because they
are intelligent creatures that learn to avoid poison and
traps.

While working on his PhD, James discovered the
extent that rats could swim or hitchhike to pest-free
islands. Using genetic tracing, he determined if rats were
eradication survivors or new invaders, and then tracked
their movements on pest-free islands. This resulted in
greater understanding of invasions and new island
conservation pest management techniques.

James has
implemented a range of scientific tools, involving ecology,
statistics, genetics, geography and computer science, and is
currently focusing on the complex interactions of climate
change, native and invasive species and ecosystem linkages
to help conserve native species.

"Removing pests from
islands is the single most cost effective way to solve a
conservation problem. I am now working to extend this
approach to onshore sanctuaries and larger, predator-free
areas across New Zealand,” says James.

Principal Science
Adviser with the Department of Conservation, Adjunct
Professor at the Auckland University of Technology, David
Towns, says James’s work has provided new statistical and
risk analysis and the ability to predict the probability of
rat incursions.

“DOC has spent more than $10 million in
the past 15 years on eradicating rats, including $3 million
on pest eradication on Rangitoto-Motutapu islands in the
Hauraki Gulf, and we need to protect that investment.
James’s work gives us greater confidence in our management
plans through his technical sophistication and practical
approach,” says Dr Towns.

James believes there are also
economic benefits flowing from his research.

“Tourism is
one of New Zealand’s top earners. With improved
conservation, we can attract more foreign visitors and New
Zealanders to explore our natural environment.”

James
says his love of the outdoors, together with his willingness
to do computer analysis in the laboratory, have delivered
results.

“We worry that academic and research returns
can take many decades before they become implemented but in
this case, during the three or four years of my doctorate,
we were able to use the knowledge I generated to keep
islands consistently rat free.”

James has a joint
appointment with the School of Biological Sciences and the
Department of Statistics at the University of Auckland,
where he lectures and also supervises several Masters and
PhD students.

Next year he will spend six months in
France working on conservation projects and is involved with
DOC and philanthropist Gareth Morgan on the ‘Million
Dollar Mouse’ eradication project on the Antipodes
Islands.

James receives $200,000 in total, with $150,000
of the money to be used for further
research.

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